Portable collapsible support for electronic equipment

Abstract

A portable, collapsible support for holding electronic equipment including programmable logic controllers (PLC), human machine interfaces (HMI), instruments, switches, Din rail mounting devices, and other equipment when testing, demonstrating, programming, or repairing such devices at remote job sites, testing labs or facilities, trade shows, training centers, and other places. The portable, collapsible support includes a base having a holding bar in parallel with a back bar forming a holding recess to hold HMIs, a cover including a Din rail, and a pair of mounting pegs for holding the electronic equipment, and a pair of locking arms for releasably, pivotably locking the cover in an open, vertical position while holding the electronic equipment, or for closing the cover to easily carry and transport the collapsible support from one location to another.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A portable, collapsible support for holding electronic equipment, the portable, collapsible support comprising:
 a base including opposite side edges, a planar upper surface opposite a bottom surface, a channel traversing the planar upper surface of the base, and a recess provided substantially at a central portion of the base; 
 at least one hinge plate having a resting surface and raised lip hingeably and movably attached to an inner surface of the recess on the base for supporting equipment when the hinge plate is in an erect position; 
 a cover including opposite side edges, and a planar inner surface opposite an outer surface, and a recess provided on the planar inner surface of the cover, 
 a movable arm hingeably attached to an inner surface of the recess provided on the cover, the movable arm configured for supporting equipment when in an erect position; 
 a Din rail mounted to the planar inner surface of the cover, and 
 a pair of locking arms, each locking arm having one end attached to the opposite side edges of the base, the other end attached to opposite side edges of the cover,
 wherein the pair of locking arms articulate to pivot the cover in a releasably locked, open position away from the planar upper surface, and in a closed position. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 1 , wherein the Din rail is positioned superior to the movable arm attached to the inner surface of the recess on the cover. 
     
     
       3. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 1 , wherein the channel is positioned inferior to the at least one hinge plate attached to the inner surface of the recess on the base. 
     
     
       4. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 1 , wherein the movable arm device comprises an arm having a proximal end and a distal end, a support end extending from the distal end, a hinge member connected to the proximal end of the movable arm, and a support arm for supporting and maintaining the arm in t erect position. 
     
     
       5. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 4 , wherein in the arm of the movable arm device includes at least one notch that engages the support arm to support and maintain the arm in the erect position. 
     
     
       6. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 4 , wherein the support end includes a pair of fingers configured for removably holding an instrument. 
     
     
       7. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hinge plate includes a plurality hinge plates positioned in series one in front of another, each hinge plate hingeably attached to the inner surface of the recess on the base for supporting equipment when in h erect position. 
     
     
       8. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 1 , wherein each of said pair of locking arms includes a first link having a first end and a second end, and a second link having another first end and another second end, said first end attached to said opposite side edges of said cover, and said another first end attached to opposite side edges of said base, said second end and said another second end rotatably attached together to pivot said cover in an open and closed position. 
     
     
       9. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one hinge having a first member rotatably attached to a second member, said first member attached to said cover, and said second member attached to said back end of said base. 
     
     
       10. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 1 , wherein the Din rail is mounted to the planar inner surface along a horizontal axis. 
     
     
       11. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 1 , further including a plurality of A apertures for receiving one or more mounting pegs disposable on the planar inner surface of the cover. 
     
     
       12. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of mounting pegs are spaced apart from each other along a horizontal axis, and adjacent a top edge of the cover. 
     
     
       13. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 1 , wherein the Din rail is disposed on the planar inner surface and includes opposite rail ends that are equally spaced from the opposite side edges of the cover. 
     
     
       14. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of mounting pegs and the Din rail are configured for removably holding electronic equipment or an instrument. 
     
     
       15. A portable, collapsible support for holding electronic equipment, the portable, collapsible support comprising:
 a base including opposite side edges, a planar upper surface opposite a bottom surface, a channel traversing the planar upper surface of the base, and a recess provided substantially at a central portion of the base; 
 at least one hinge plate having a resting surface and raised lip hingeably and movably attached to an inner surface of the recess on the base for supporting equipment when the hinge plate is in an erect position; 
 a cover including opposite side edges, and a planar inner surface opposite an outer surface, and a recess provided on the planar inner surface of the cover, 
 a movable arm hingeably attached to an inner surface of the recess provided on the cover, the movable arm configured for supporting equipment when in an erect position; 
 a Din rail mounted to the planar inner surface of the cover, and 
 a pair of locking arms, each locking arm having one end attached to the opposite side edges of the base, the other end attached to opposite side edges of the cover,
 wherein the pair of locking arms articulate to pivot the cover in a releasably locked, open position away from the planar upper surface, and in a closed position, 
 wherein the recess on the base is positioned inferior to the at least one hinge plate attached to the inner surface of the recess on the base, and 
 wherein the Din rail is positioned superior to the movable arm attached to the inner surface of the recess on the cover. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 15 , wherein the movable arm device comprises an arm having a proximal end and a distal end, a support end extending from the distal end, a hinge member connected to the proximal end of the movable arm, and a support arm for supporting and maintaining the arm in t erect position. 
     
     
       17. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one hinge plate includes a plurality hinge plates positioned in series one in front of another, each hinge plate hingeably attached to the inner surface of the recess on the base for supporting equipment when in the erect position. 
     
     
       18. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 15 , wherein each of said pair of locking arms includes a first link having a first end and a second end, and a second link having another first end and another second end, said first end attached to said opposite side edges of said cover, and said another first end attached to opposite side edges of said base, said second end and said another second end rotatably attached together to pivot said cover in an open and closed position. 
     
     
       19. The portable, collapsible support of  claim 15 , further including a plurality of apertures for receiving a plurality of mounting pegs disposable on the planar inner surface of the cover, and the plurality of mounting pegs are spaced apart from each other along a horizontal axis, and adjacent a top edge of the cover. 
     
     
       20. A portable, collapsible support for holding electronic equipment, the portable, collapsible support comprising:
 a base including opposite side edges, a planar upper surface opposite a bottom surface, a channel traversing the planar upper surface of the base, and a recess provided substantially at a central portion of the base; 
 at least one hinge plate having a resting surface and raised lip hingeably and movably attached to an inner surface of the recess on the base for supporting equipment when the hinge plate is in an erect position; 
 a cover including opposite side edges, and a planar inner surface opposite an outer surface, and a recess provided on the planar inner surface of the cover, the cover including a plurality of apertures for receiving a plurality of mounting pegs disposable on the planar inner surface of the cover, and the plurality of mounting pegs are spaced apart from each other along a horizontal axis, and adjacent a top edge of the cover, 
 a movable arm hingeably attached to an inner surface of the recess provided on the cover, the movable arm configured for supporting equipment when in an erect position, comprising;
 an arm having a proximal end and a distal end, 
 a support end extending from the distal end, 
 a hinge member connected to the proximal end of the movable arm, and 
 a support arm for supporting and maintaining the arm in t erect position,
 wherein the arm includes at least one notch that engages the support arm to support and maintain the arm in h erect position, and 
 wherein the support end includes a pair of members configured for removably holding an instrument; 
 
 
 a Din rail mounted to the planar inner surface of the cover, and 
 a pair of locking arms, each locking arm having one end attached to the opposite side edges of the base, the other end attached to opposite side edges of the cover,
 wherein the pair of locking arms articulate to pivot the cover in a releasably locked, open position away from the planar upper surface, and in a closed position, 
 wherein the recess on the base is positioned inferior to the at least one hinge plate attached to the inner surface of the recess on the base, and 
 wherein the Din rail is positioned superior to the movable arm attached to the inner surface of the recess on the cover.